


25 Days of NCT Christmas

by nsofties



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Bakery, Barista Huang Ren Jun, Barista Jaemin, Barista Na Jaemin, Best Friends, CFO Doyoung, COO Jaehyun, Christmas, Christmas Caroling, Growing Up, Holidays, JaeDo, MarkHyuck Roommates, MarkHyuck and NoRenMin are neighbors, Music Major Donghyuck, NoRenMin Roommates, Nohyuck, Single Dad Kun, Slice of Life, They don't mind, and he's not really sure what changed but he knows something did, and jaemin has nothing better to do than loiter in markhyuck's apartment until christmas is over, animal shelter worker jeno, barista renjun, but theyre also the best kids kun couldve asked for, dojae, doyoung is exhausted by jaehyun's antics, doyoung overworks himself, hyuckie hates caroling and mark thinks its funny, i love single dad!kun, i love their dynamic idk i think its funny, if u look suuuuper close, if u squint, jisung comes back from college, just a little slice of the qian family home, markmin, renjun is chenle's hero, single dad, single dad kun is the best dad than renjun and chenle could've asked for, single parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-07 04:10:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 17,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16846864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nsofties/pseuds/nsofties
Summary: A collection of twenty-five short works for each day leading up to Christmas.Day 25: Jisung has growing pains. He hopes they go away soon.





	1. DAY 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Mark-centric pondering of friendships and the future.

The crockpot is heavy in his hands as he passively kicks his foot against the door painted an obtrusive shade of scarlet. “Jeno, _open up_ . The dip is heavy as fuck,” groans Mark under his breath, head falling back. Beside him, Jaemin snorts, rolling his eyes. Mark shoots him a withering glare, puffing out his chest. “Yeah, you’re only carrying two bags of tortilla chips and a carton of Lactaid. If either of us should be rolling their eyes, it’s _me_.”

Jaemin, in response, releases a bellowing laugh, teeth glimmering in the light of the fairy lights that decorate the porch. His eyes shine, his mischievous nature making itself clear as he begins to speak. “I offered to carry the dip and you made a strong case for yourself. Who was I to deny you that privilege?”

Before Mark can retort, the door swings open, revealing Chenle in a festive outfit. The light-up Christmas tree headband wonderfully compliments the aggressively festive sweater that he wears. It depicts Santa with his reindeer, the stars in the sky flashing with small LED lights. Mark, at that moment, feels terribly underdressed in his modest plaid sweater and khakis. The sight of Jeno, in a pair of black jeans and Christmas cat sweater that is clearly several years old, puts Mark more at ease.

Jeno’s mother greets him as he places the crockpot on the kitchen table. “Mark! Jaemin! It’s so lovely to see you both. I feel like I haven’t seen you in quite a while, Mark. I hear you’re about to start touring colleges?” Smiling kindly, Mark moves to converse with Mrs. Lee, missing the grimace that passes across Jaemin’s face at the mention of college. He slinks away silently as Mark speaks with Jeno’s mother.

Eventually, Mark is freed from conversation, feeling the stress melt off his shoulders as he observes his friends from the doorway. Jeno’s arm is slung around Donghyuck’s shoulder, Renjun leaning over Jaemin as he commands the younger boy to drive faster in the game. Chenle’s loud cheers fill the room as Jisung’s eyes narrow, shutting out all distractions. Donghyuck turns towards Mark, his eyes reflecting the bright lights of the Christmas tree as his smile widens.

“Mark! I was wondering where you were when Jaemin walked in!” Donghyuck’s slight lisp is fiercely endearing and Mark reaches out, ruffling his hair as he squeezes onto the couch on the other side of Jeno. Grumbling good-naturedly, Jeno elbows him in the side before slinging his other arm around Mark’s shoulders. He throws his head back, staring at the ceiling so Donghyuck can see Mark again. “Do you want to join the next Mario Kart game?”

“Nah, I’m good. You guys go ahead. I’ll just watch.” Mark is, as always, content to watch his friends. The oldest of them all, something about their friendship feels distant. It isn’t the kind of distant that makes Mark feel like an outsider, but it’s the kind of distance that makes Mark more comfortable to watch. Jisung often tells Mark that he’s his friend - “But, you’re also like… an older brother. You tell us to shape up when we fuck up. You’re like… our _leader_ .” Mark had told Jisung to stop making it sound like he runs a gang. Shrugging, Jisung had smiled. “Maybe we _are_ a gang - doesn’t mean we’re bad.”

The Mario Kart antics are the background noise to Mark’s thoughts as he sits there, laughing at the right moment, humming whenever Donghyuck asks him a question with wide eyes, or Jaemin’s bright laughter fills the room with Renjun’s softly echoing behind it. Jisung and Chenle bicker as the race goes on, the two switching the controller between races. Jeno is equally as quiet, but it is nothing new, his cat padding into the living room and making its resting place on Jeno’s lap, purring quietly as he strokes their head.

Mark has grown up with these six boys. Jaemin, of course, came first. Even though Donghyuck has been his next door neighbor for his entire life, Jaemin came first. Donghyuck was always a constant, always there, but Jaemin was Mark’s first friend out of everyone - the whole reason Mark and Donghyuck overcame their differences in the first place. (Or, that is what he says. The two of them know it was actually Jeno, but they let Jaemin believe it was his doing - none of them mind.) Lunch was mixed between grades, and Jaemin had plopped himself beside the quiet Mark, eyes bright and shining. “My name is Na Jaemin!” he had said, grinning brightly. “I’m new to town! Who’re you?” From that day, they had become inseparable. Even for the brief years where they were in different schools. Even for the brief year Jaemin was stuck in the hospital. Mark thinks that life without Jaemin would be weird.

Donghyuck and Jeno came next. Even though Donghyuck was always there, it required the intervention of the ever peaceful Lee Jeno to pacify the baseless ongoing feud between Mark and Donghyuck. The two grew up together - but something about the initial friendship that was forced upon them by their parents formed a rift between the two as they grew. Neither of them are really sure _how_ the arguments started, but they can easily pinpoint where they ended. The arrival of Lee Jeno in put an end to all arguments by him simply saying: “This is stupid. Come over and meet my cats.” Donghyuck was bad at saying no to his new friend and Mark was bad at saying no to anyone but Donghyuck, and so the two found themselves at Jeno’s house, playing with his cats and eating dinner made by his mom. Their friendship was not quick, or easy, but it is strong now. Between all of them. Mark thinks that even though the journey was rough, he couldn’t imagine life without them.

Jisung was next - the new boy at the end of the street. Mark was quick to take him under his wing when he arrived. Naturally, Donghyuck, Jeno, and Jaemin did, too. He was quickly integrated into their group, but it took Chenle’s arrival for Jisung to grow out of the shell he had made. They had met before, it turned out, but Chenle’s arrival to their modest-sized town did not come until three years after Jisung’s. Quite quickly, the two of them were integrated into their dynamic. As often as Jisung and Chenle often joke that Mark is _old_ and _out of touch_ with the young people, the two admit how important Mark is to them. Chenle tends to be more vocal about it, Jisung being more discrete in his delivery. Jisung will buy Mark his favorite ice cream flavor or defend him when someone ridicules Mark for all of his friends being younger than him. Mark’s affection for the two youngest runs deep. He laughs, feeling like a proud uncle when they succeed. Mark hopes they will remember him, no matter where they all end up.

Renjun moved to town around the same time as Chenle. Actually earlier, but Renjun doesn’t have the heart to correct them, keeping his rejection of Jaemin’s first attempts at friendship between the two of them. Renjun is outspoken - when he wants to be - and loyal - when you deserve it. He is this pleasant medium between Jeno and Jisung’s reserved and Donghyuck, Chenle, and Jaemin’s outgoing natures. Renjun, to Mark, is still somewhat of a mystery he has yet to unravel. Despite that, Renjun fits nicely into their dynamic, his bright laughter and sensible ideas perfect for their small group. Mark thinks that Renjun is the perfect addition - he wonders where he was all those years. Watching Renjun dig his chin into the crown of Jaemin’s head, despite the latter’s complaints, Mark feels a smile spread across his face.

The race ends and Mark doesn’t realize until Jaemin is gently shaking his shoulder, smiling. “Hey. Jeno’s mom just said dinner is ready. Come on.” Mark accepts the hand that Jaemin offers, allowing himself to be pulled up into a standing position. Jaemin gives him a curious look before he shakes his head. “Stop thinking, Mark. Just enjoy the holidays.” A laugh works its way up from the bottom of Mark’s stomach, bubbing past his lips. Jaemin truly knows him too well.


	2. DAY 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are changing. Pretending to be happy can be tiring.

It feels like deja vu to Mark as he carries the heavy crockpot in his hands. A hidden tension drifts through the air as Jaemin knocks on the door, the two waiting in silence as they wait for the door to open. Mark wishes that Jaemin would make fun of him for complaining about carrying the crockpot on their walk to Jeno’s house like he always did every year. Something about the scene feels comical - they are dressed in Christmas-themed onesies on a heavily decorated porch, pointedly looking in different directions. Mark opens and closes his mouth a few times before deciding the silence is better than whatever would come of his attempts at conversation. 

After what feels like hours, the door is swung open, Chenle’s bright smile greeting them, as always. His holiday spirit is undulled, the bright green of the Grinch onesie matching the lettuce-hue of his hair. Mark had recommended to Jaemin that a pink one would be a good choice to go with his new hair color. Back then, Jaemin had laughed. Today, he greets Chenle with a terse smile before dropping the bag he carries in the kitchen. For the first time, Jeno’s parents are at a work party, leaving the seven of them to their own devices. Mark can’t say if it’s a recipe for disaster - yet.

Chenle stares after Jaemin wordlessly before grinning brightly at Mark, ushering him in. “Come on, Santa,” he teases, closing the door with a resolute slam that would have given Mrs. Lee an aneurysm if she was there. “Drop the dip off in the kitchen. Everyone is in the living room playing Mario Kart.” Patting Mark roughly on the back, Chenle is quick to disappear into the living room, his loud cheers reverberating throughout the house.

Despite Chenle’s greeting, Mark knows that everything feels different. That everything is different, is going to be different. He thinks that it doesn’t have to be this way - that they could forget about the past and the future and just think about now. But, he knows that isn’t how the heart or the mind works. His steps are dramatic and unnecessarily slow, but he wants to remember this. It’s not as if he’s never going to come back to this house, but the holidays have always been something special for them. This is the way he wants to remember Jeno’s house the most.

Jeno’s mother was always impeccable with her decorations, and his father always chose the best tree. Mark wants to tattoo these images on the backs of his eyelids, so this is all he will see when he closes his eyes. He wants to record the sounds of his friends’ laughter, set it as his alarm in the morning. He thinks that maybe he would never get out of bed if he did that. Mark blinks a few times before laughing softly under his breath. “It isn’t like I’m  _ dying _ . Stop being overdramatic,” he mutters under his breath, quickly walking towards the kitchen. For a split second, he gazes at the grandfather clock in the hallway.

Christmas without Jeno’s mother greeting him in the kitchen feels bizarre. A note is taped onto the refrigerator door: “Leftovers in the fridge! Just heat them up in the microwave - I prepared more than enough for the seven of you. Have fun! Love, Mom.” Placing the old crockpot on the table, Mark smiles fondly before looking towards the living room, where the familiar sounds of his friends mix with the audio of Mario Kart. As always, he finds himself in the doorway for a moment, watching his friends fondly. Donghyuck is quick to notice him, eyes shining as he pulls Mark into the room.

“I’m making more hot chocolate!” he explains with excitement clear in his voice, before he disappears into the kitchen. A loud banging sound followed by an exasperated sigh alerts Jeno to Donghyuck’s antics. Pushing himself off the couch, Jeno enters the kitchen, Mark choosing to stay out of the mess.

Jaemin, for once, does not have Renjun attached to him. Rather, he sits quietly all the way on the other side of the room. Mark heaves a sigh, affectionately ruffling Jisung and Renjun’s hair before plopping down beside Jaemin on the ground. He presses his back against the wall and grabs Jaemin’s arm when he attempts to run away. The latter stares at him warily before giving in, relaxing against the wall. The silence between them is, for the first time that day - for the first time in a while, comfortable.

It isn’t that Mark doesn’t understand where Jaemin is coming from. He just wishes that they didn’t have to fight every single day. It’s become exhausting. But, Mark doesn’t want to waste these days, just in case. So, he lets the arguments happen, letting Jaemin express all his sadness, all his frustration, before they delve into silence. Mark scoots closer to Jaemin, their arms touching. In response, Jaemin stiffens, jaw clenching.

“Can we just not fight for this  _ one night _ ? I know you’re upset with me, but Christmas isn’t really a time for fighting with your friends, Nana,” says Mark. He knows that Jaemin will give in to the nickname. A heavy sigh slips past Jaemin’s lips as he lets his head fall back, hitting the wall. “Let’s just  _ enjoy _ Christmas, alright? I didn’t slave over that dip for four hours just for you to be pissy.” The glare that Jaemin sends him would send anyone else running away. Mark knows Jaemin too well to fear him. Instead he stares right back, accepting the challenge. He doesn’t want to fight - he knows Jaemin doesn’t, either. They walk on eggshells in hiking boots around one another.

“Fuck you. Can you just  _ not _ go abroad, perhaps?” mutters Jaemin under his breath. Mark laughs and, against his better judgment, Jaemin feels himself begin to laugh, too. Mark doesn’t even know  _ why _ he laughs - nothing is funny. Jaemin is angry, feeling betrayed, and Mark doesn’t know what to do. For a moment, nothing has changed, nothing is changing, nothing will change. It is just them, Mark and Jaemin, against the world, as always. Their laughing garners Donghyuck’s attention as he walks into the living room followed by Jeno who carries a platter with mugs of hot chocolate. Donghyuck smiles brightly as he brings two mugs over to them. Jaemin’s has extra marshmallows and Mark’s has none.

“Come and  _ join _ the party, sillies,” Donghyuck says, turning to rejoin the others. Jaemin is the first to stand, offering his free hand to Mark.

“ _ Well? _ I, for one, don’t want to get yelled at by Donghyuck for missing out on our annual Christmas party.” Jaemin’s eyes are soft and his smile is the smile that Mark only sees every once in  a while - a closed-lip, soft smile. Barely there, but incredibly expressive. It is one of Mark’s favorite smiles of Jaemin. Not only because it’s rare, but because it says more than words can. He hopes this is not the last time he sees this smile. Mark takes his hand, standing. For a moment, Jaemin hesitates to let go before Renjun calls his name and yells at him for ditching him in Mario Kart.

Mark watches his friends for a moment. He will miss this. He already misses this, and he is still here. Jeno waves him over. For now, Mark will live in the moment.


	3. DAY 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things have changed. Things will continue to change. For (more than) a moment, he wishes to go back.

Jaemin feels lonely as he carries the crockpot in his hands, standing quietly outside of Jeno’s house. Part of him doesn’t want to knock. Part of him wants to drop everything and walk away. He shouldn't - he knows that. This is a tradition. It was. It  _ is _ , he reminds himself. He’s still here. Knocking gently with his foot, he hopes no one hears it - he hopes that he can just walk away from the door after a few more minutes and sit at home. His parents will be curious, but they won’t ask. Jaemin hasn’t been the same.

It’s been five months, but to Jaemin it feels like years. Years since he really… understood anything. Not academically, but emotionally. The straight A’s on his progress reports weren’t unusual; in fact, Jaemin typically found himself at the top of the class alongside Renjun, despite the public opinion that Jaemin’s head was filled with clouds. The countless hours spent after school at Mark’s were mostly to study, sometimes to watch their favorite movies, sometimes to get ice cream from the local convenience store and laugh about things that happened in their day, sometimes to cook the latest thing Jaemin saw on Pinterest, and sometimes just to sit in a comfortable silence. Lately, all Jaemin does is study. This winter break, he’s unsure of what to do with himself, unsure how to fill the empty hours when he has nothing to work on.

One day this break, he found himself outside of Mark’s old house, without him even thinking about it. Bitter, he kicked at the freshly fallen snow before trudging back home. Even on his walk to Jeno’s tonight, he had, on instinct, stopped in front of Mark’s house, waiting for a few moments before realizing his mistake and walking away. He wishes he hadn’t done that. Perhaps he would be happier to be here if he didn’t.

“I won’t forget about you guys,” Mark had said with a teary-eyed laugh, shaking his head as Donghyuck desperately clung to him. His diploma was in one arm, an obscene number of bouquets in his other. Jaemin had hung to the back, watching everything passively, undecided on any feelings towards the event other than desperation. He understood Donghyuck the best of out of all of them. He would miss Mark - missed Mark already, even with him standing right in front of him.

That night, rather than going to the senior’s graduation party, Mark had showed up outside of Jaemin’s house, throwing pebbles at his window. Jaemin had hissed that this wasn’t some teen romance movie, but snuck out to hang out with Mark at the local park anyway. The two of them sat on the swings, a summer’s night breeze rushing by and, for a moment, Jaemin had felt like a kid again. He remembered the first time he and Mark had gotten in trouble for going to the park after school instead of going right home. Mark had cried and he Jaemin weren’t allowed to see each other for a week.

That was the worst week of Jaemin’s life.

Jaemin thought that it couldn’t - it wouldn’t - get worse. That they would all end up at the same college, close to their town, spending summer nights together. Jaemin didn’t expect Mark’s list of colleges to all be abroad - all be halfway around the world in Canada. He should’ve expected it, really, for Mark to want to go back. But, he didn’t want to believe it. So he pretended for as long as he could, until Mark and he were laying on the ground in Mark’s room.

“I’m going to the University of Toronto,” Mark had said. Jaemin said nothing, leaving. He didn’t talk to Mark for twenty-four hours. He told himself that would be enough - that he knew this was going to happen. That he needed to stop pretending. He didn’t stop, but he knew. That night, Jaemin knew. That he should make the most of their summer. The twenty-four hours weren’t enough. But, Jaemin, for Mark, pretended that they were anyway.

He never asked - he thinks that maybe he should have - about Mark coming home. If he would come back home. To them. To him, Donghyuck, Jeno, Renjun, Chenle, Jisung. All of them missed him in different ways. Jisung missed him quietly - the same way he loved Mark, really. Through small little moments. Jisung missed him by eating Mark’s favorite snacks or listening to his favorite songs. He was never vocal, but everyone could feel the way that Jisung deflated a little whenever someone mentioned abroad in any way - whether it be regarding family or friends or where they want to go. “I want to go abroad, too,” he had said to someone. “To Canada.” When they asked why there - why not America, why not to New York or Los Angeles, Jisung said nothing, shrugging before returning to the game on his phone. Jaemin had understood. Jaemin understands.

Donghyuck had missed Mark through anger at first, and then through some form of acceptance. When Jaemin had first visited Donghyuck after Mark left, all evidence of Mark had been hidden, frames face-down, gifts tucked far away into the back of his closet. “I couldn’t bear to throw them away,” he had explained softly to Jaemin. The two of them were closest to Mark and, in a way, found that they could talk to one another the most. “It’s not… It’s not like he  _ died _ or anything, you know? It’s just… I  _ miss him _ . And, seeing him makes me angry, but getting rid of him from my life makes me feel sad. He’s coming back eventually, right? I miss him, but he’ll be back. I bet he’ll be back for Christmas. He wouldn’t just… go away.” Jaemin hadn’t said anything, then. He had just smiled and nodded.

Jeno, ever the mother, had pushed his own sadness to the back, instead focusing on helping the others. Sitting quietly with Jisung, helping Donghyuck place all his photos face-down, bring Jisung Mark’s favorite snacks, making sure Jaemin stopped studying and went to bed at a reasonable time, stopping in to check on all of them… It was  _ so Jeno _ to put the others before himself and hide away his own feelings. It was so like Jeno to do that, that it made Jaemin a little angry. There was a brief stint in time when the seven of them just… didn’t talk. They all went their separate ways, until one day Jeno popped up in a newly made groupchat.  _ Come over at five! _ his message had said.  _ Mom is making a huge spread and told me to invite you all!  _ They all sat in silence until Jisung had instinctually started up Mario Kart. For a little while, things were back to normal. They’re all still understanding things in their own ways. Jaemin is just thankful to Jeno for keeping them all together.

For a while, Chenle and Renjun had closed in on themselves, speaking quietly in Chinese. Renjun would tell Jaemin, later, that it was the only way Chenle really felt he could express how much he missed Mark. He was - Renjun, that is - bitter. He still is bitter, even if he isn’t as vocal about it anymore. Chenle was just sad when Mark left, desperate to cling only any sense of normalcy or familiarity in his life. Renjun was just - is just bitter. They are the only two who openly talk about Mark anymore. Renjun doesn’t talk about Mark the way Chenle does. When Chenle talks about Mark it is fondness mixed with a sense of admiration. When Renjun talks about Mark, it’s this ugly tone of spite mixed with heartache. Chenle misses Mark, but Renjun  _ really _ misses Mark. Jaemin understands.

Jaemin doesn’t talk about Mark. He always thinks about Mark, but he never talks about Mark. When Mark first left, Jaemin felt desperate to cling to anything related to him. As time went on, Jaemin packed everything up and asked his parents to store it in their closet. His mother was adamant that he keep everything displayed, but his father, ever the understanding one, tucked the box beneath their bed with a pat on Jaemin’s back. Sometimes, when Jaemin  _ really _ misses Mark, which is every night, he’ll open the box and sort through all the memories. Sometimes he’ll organize them chronologically and sometimes he’ll organize them in order of happiness. Sometimes, oftentimes, Jaemin will organize them in order of how much they hurt to remember, from the most to least painful. His parents worry, but say nothing. He reminds himself that Mark isn’t  _ dead _ , but it’s hard when he gets no messages, no emails, no letters. Jaemin wants to hate Mark. But, he doesn't. He just misses him. A lot.

One day, Mark’s family’s house was on the market. And then, one day, they were gone. Jaemin wishes they hadn’t moved away. Their house - their presence - was that last string that would lead Mark back to them. Jaemin thinks that, now, there is nothing bringing Mark back. Before Mark had left, he had explained to Jaemin that, to him, a house is not a home. “It’s the people, you know,” Mark said, staring at the ceiling. When they were in middle school, they had stuck a glow in the dark solar system kit on his ceiling. It glows faintly in the darkness of his room. “So, even if this isn’t my house, this town is still my home. You guys are here.  _ You’re my home _ . I’ll come back to see you all no matter what.”

Jaemin hadn’t said anything at that moment. He thinks that, perhaps, that was the right time to ask Mark when he was going to come back to them. When Jeno answers the door, Jaemin is in tears. Wordlessly, Jeno lets him in. Jaemin hopes that, this spring, one acceptance letter in particular will find its way into his mailbox.

It is their first Christmas without Mark.


	4. DAY 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the most important event of his life. Taeyong is determined to stay in control.

Taeyong stares at his handiwork proudly, thanking Taeil as he carefully puts down the platter of cookies. “It looks good, doesn’t it? I’m hoping they they’ll hire us again next year,” he says, reaching forward to slightly adjust the direction that the candelabra faces. For months he slaved over writing, throwing out, and re-writing the list of desserts that he would make for the biggest event he has ever catered for. Taeyong doesn’t recognize the name of the restaurant that caters the hors d'oeuvres and entrées, but watches as Mark and Donghyuck excitedly chat with the Executive Chef until the Sous Chef affectionately shoos them away in order for them to return to the kitchen.

“I heard they just hired the most talented boucher that has ever graduated from Neo Tech,” murmurs Yuta under his breath as he moves to stand beside Taeyong. He is wracking his head for what the word _boucher_ means, absently thanking the stars that Yuta attended Neo Tech Culinary Academy. It, surprisingly, always gives them a one-up on the competition in the area. Taeyong never really thinks much about things like that - he just enjoys baking and opened his shop because his roommate in college said he would pay him for cookies. In the end, Taeyong just decides that _boucher_ sounds like a hairpiece.

“I also heard their patissier was rather disgruntled that they hired us to make the desserts rather than expecting everything from them,” adds Jaehyun. He watches as Mark and Donghyuck double-check the cupcake display, assuring that it is stable and the different flavors are clearly labeled. “Sicheng and I aren’t doing much other than helping set up and you don’t see us complaining.”

Yuta stares at Jaehyun, jaw hanging. In response, the latter raises an eyebrow, challenging him. “... You _are_ complaining, though,” says Yuta incredulously. “You spent all this morning up until five minutes ago complaining about how no one would get to taste your _delicious, homemade bread, made with love_ , until Sicheng said something about him hoping everyone would choke.”

“Please make sure that Sicheng stays back, Jae. We can’t have him scaring off potential customers with his thinly veiled threats _again_ . That said, you and Sicheng did a great job of building all of the displays needed for our baked goods. That’s a _huge_ contribution. Don’t sell yourself short.” Taeyong pats him on the shoulder before eyeing Sicheng who looks five seconds away from pushing over the gigantic fake Christmas tree in the center of the stage. Sicheng’s hand reaches out towards a large, glass ornament. In five seconds, three of them are sprinting across the room to stop him.

Taeyong, in all his anal-retentive glory, finds himself fidgeting for an hour. Taeil slaps his hand away every time he attempts to readjust the lay-out of their tables, and Yuta spends his time corralling Mark and Donghyuck away from the kitchen. He doesn’t see Jaehyun or Sicheng, so he’s sure they’re running around somewhere. Any outsider would be mystified by their dynamic, surprised that Taeyong hasn’t fired any of them yet. In all honesty, when Taeyong is fighting a migraine at three in the morning, he wonders the same. But, for all the trouble they give him, Taeyong wouldn’t want to work with anyone else.

Jaehyun doesn’t mention to Taeyong the moment that he let Sicheng out of his sight and found him arguing with Bae Joohyun, the restaurant’s patissier, about whose bread was better. He also doesn’t mention that Sicheng somehow snuck a rather sizeable batch of their bread into the building and sent it out with the restaurant’s food. He thinks that it would give Taeyong a heart attack, and the man already tugs at his hair as he watches people eat their pastries. The reception to their fare is good, but Taeyong does not relax until the host of the party, CEO Junmyeon Kim, approaches them once all the guests had left.

When Junmyeon tells Taeyong that the yule log cake they made is possibly the best dessert he has ever had, Taeil thinks his boss might keel over right then and there. “I’ll admit that when Jongdae said I needed to hire you, I was a little skeptical. In the end, I’m glad I trusted him. I’ll be in touch again about future events. Kyungsoo also said your bakery’s bread is his favorite - I’ll have to make sure that’s served next time. Thank you all for your hard work!” As soon as Junmyeon is gone, Taeyong is frantically grabbing Yuta by the shoulders and shaking him, wide eyes even wider.

“I thought you looked familiar! It’s been a while, Yuta,” greets an unfamiliar voice. The Executive Chef stands in front of them, his Sous Chef and boucher beside him, engaged in an intense discussion that stops rather promptly as the Executive Chef shoots them a warning look.

Yuta stares at the chef, the awkward silence dragging on until he opens his mouth. “... Who’re you?”

“You… We went to Neo Tech together, right? Weren’t our stations near one another?”

“... Oh. You were the big -”

“Wow! Look at the time!” interjects Taeil with a panicked smile.

“What are you talki -”

“Time for you to _shut the fuck up_ ,” deadpans Taeil, unamused. “If you don’t stop talking right this instant I’m going to let Sicheng lock you in the freezer this time.”

“You wouldn’t _dare_.”

“ _Try me -_ ”

“Okay, let’s stop arguing in front of the nice chef before Taeyong fires both of you,” says Mark with a nervous laugh, intervening. “Anyways! Taeyong! This is the friend I was talking about! Johnny let me crash with him when I first moved to the city.”

“Oh! Thank you for giving Mark a place to stay for a bit. I was dead set on having him work for me and he was concerned about finding a place to live.”

Taeyong’s smile is bright and Johnny thinks to himself that, yes, Taeyong is definitely a baker. “Also, don’t mind Joohyun. She’s just upset that the guests liked your bread better.”

“... Our bread? We… brought bread?” asks Taeyong, turning to Jaehyun. The latter is frantically looking around for Sicheng, who he spots back on the stage, hand grasping for an ornament. All at once, their entire group sprints towards him. They are chaotic, they are a mess, they cause him nothing but trouble…

Taeyong would not want it any other way.


	5. DAY 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neo127, a quaint apartment complex on the edge of the city, is home to a myriad of people. Jungwoo thinks he's going to like it here.

Jungwoo is _exhausted_. But, he smiles anyways as he knocks on the door, bottle of champagne tucked into the crook of his arm. It was kind of Doyoung to invite Jungwoo to his annual Christmas party, but he thinks he would rather be tucked in bed watching straight-to-Netflix movies. He hasn't even finished unpacking all of the boxes littering his apartment and it's been two weeks since he moved in.

When the door opens, it’s not Doyoung who answers. Instead, a bright-eyed young man swings the door open. The door flies back, ricocheting off the wall and back towards him. He stumbles, steadying himself against the door frame before sticking out his hand. "Hi! I'm Donghyuck! You must be Jungwoo! Doyoung mentioned he invited our new neighbor to his party! I'm Johnny's little brother - I go to university in the city." Jungwoo gently shakes his hand. The young man makes him think of summer as he eagerly pulls him inside. "Mark! Our new neighbor is here!"

A young man, who Jungwoo assumes is Mark, walks over to them. Jungwoo just wants to know where to put the champagne, but life, as always, has other plans. "Hi. I'm Mark. I'm also a university student in the city. I live with my older brother, Taeyong."

"Oh, you're Taeyong's little brother. I'm your next door neighbor. He said you were on campus a lot studying," replies Jungwoo.

"I have some friends on campus that I stay with during finals. But, it's nice to finally meet you. Want me to take that into the kitchen?" Jungwoo hands him the bottle and watches as Donghyuck excitedly follows Mark, the two disappearing into the kitchen.

A sudden hand on his shoulder startles him, Jungwoo blinking a few times before looking at Johnny who grins nervously. "Sorry about Hyuck. I know he can be a bit much. He means well - promise." Jungwoo assures Johnny that it's fine - that Donghyuck is lovely and there's nothing to apologize for. "Well... I'll just preemptively apologize for Christmas morning, then. You'll be hearing a lot of Mariah Carey." Jungwoo is unable to say something as someone barrels forward, throwing his arm around Johnny's shoulders.

"Jungwoo! What's up! Did you listen to our radio show last night?" Jaehyun stares at him with wide eyes, grin bright. Jungwoo thinks to himself that everyone in this apartment complex reminds him of sunshine - he thinks that perhaps this is a sign he should to get outside more. "You should come guest on our show one week! Doyoung comes every so often and Mark covered for Johnny a few weeks ago when he went home with Hyuck to see their parents!"

"I'm content just listening. Thanks for the offer, though, Jaehyun. I'll keep it in mind."

"Are you two accosting our new neighbor  _ again _ ?" Johnny and Jaehyun look at Taeyong with guilt as he approaches them, hands on his hips. Jungwoo thinks that he looks like a mother about to let their kids have it. Before he can say anything else, Johnny and Jaehyun sprint off. He doesn't know how two fully grown men manage to disappear in a small apartment, but he thinks it's impressive either way. Taeyong mutters something under his breath before smiling at Jungwoo. "I arrive on behalf of Doyoung. He would've thanked you for the champagne in person - and he will, later - but he's just finishing preparing some of the food."

"Do you need any help in the kitchen?"

"I think we're good! Thanks though, Jungwoo. Just relax a little - no need to stress yourself out." Taeyong pats him on the arm, grinning, before returning to the kitchen. Moments later, Mark and Donghyuck are pushed out by Doyoung, who waves at Jungwoo with a smile before disappearing again.

“Jungwoo made it!” shouts Taeil excitedly. Sicheng waves from beside Yuta on the couch. He moves over to make room for Jungwoo, who settles easily between Sicheng and Yuta, the latter wrapping his arm around Jungwoo’s shoulders.

“Is your new boss treating you well?”

“Oh, fuck off, Yuta. I’m a _great_ boss,” says Taeil with a roll of his eyes. “... Right?”

“You’re a good boss, Taeil. Don’t overthink it,” says Sicheng. “If you weren’t, I would’ve quit by now.”

“Agreed. You’re a good boss, Taeil. Don’t think about it too much,” says Jungwoo. His smile puts Taeil at ease as he leans back on the couch. Despite his and Sicheng’s affirmations, Taeil and Yuta continue to bicker, though there is no animosity behind it. It’s a familiar sort of fight - the kind of joking fight that only occurs between close friends.

Jungwoo, sitting there, blinks a few times before he realizes Doyoung stands in front of him, holding out a mug of hot chocolate with a smile. “Merry… early Christmas,” he says with a grin. “Thanks for coming.”

“Oh? No, thank you for inviting me. I really appreciate it.”

And Jungwoo really means it. Moving to a new city and starting a new job - or two in his case, is a lot for anyone, especially during the holiday season. He misses home, he misses his old friends, he misses his old life. But, looking around him, Jungwoo thinks that this new city is already starting to feel like home.


	6. DAY 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuta assures them that he’ll make the cookies and that this’ll be the best damn Christmas they ever celebrate. Even if Johnny makes them watch Die Hard again.

When Yuta hears knocking at his door, his first thought is,  _ Oh, they’re here!  _ His second thought, as he opens the door is,  _ Fuck. _ Flour and icing cover his face and arms, dried streaks decorating the pink apron that Taeil bought him last Christmas. Johnny takes Taeyong’s jacket and bag full of food from his as Taeyong ushers Yuta towards the kitchen, wetting a paper towel and scrubbing at his face.

Yuta feels five again as Johnny appears in the doorway, placing the bag on the table before patting the flour out of his hair. “Yuta, how do you have frosting in your  _ hair _ ?” asks Johnny with a grin. Yuta pointedly ignores him, instead choosing to swat at Taeyong’s hands which are busy cleaning him.

“I’m  _ fine _ , Taeyong. Stop. It’s just a little frosting. And a little flour. It’s not like it’s battery acid -”

“Oh, God, did you spill battery acid on yourself? Where?” asks Taeyong frantically, patting down Yuta.

“It’s - it was just an example. I haven’t touched a battery today. I - I’m just commenting how you’re acting like my situation here is severe when it’s nothing much.” Yuta feels exasperated and he’s sure he looks exasperated from the way Taeyong and Johnny grin back sheepishly. “... I burned my kitchen ceiling  _ once _ .”

“You can’t blame us for worrying, Yuta. You had to move out for weeks and you were stuck in the hospital for a few days from smoke inhalation -”

“Which, by the way, I  _ still _ can’t believe you didn’t think to call the fire department!” Taeyong’s voice is shrill as he interrupts Johnny. Suddenly the two are talking over one another, listing off all the times Yuta has made them worry. He admits that  _ maybe _ he’s set things on fire a few more times than your average person would. But, today isn’t the time for  _ that _ discussion.

Waving a hand flippantly, Yuta places a platter of cookies into Johnny’s hands. “Here. Bring these into the room.” They’re in fun Christmas shapes, frosted haphazardly in some mediocre attempt to make them look festive. Johnny thinks they’re cute and says nothing as he walks them into the living room. He hopes Taeyong won’t critique them - Yuta had begged them to let him host their annual Christmas get-together.

“Anything else you need me to carry into the living room?” Johnny sticks his head back into the kitchen, watching in amusement as Yuta plops a pan of brownies into Taeyong’s arms.

“I called my mom so I could make you guys homemade Japanese snacks, too. I’ll go get them,” Yuta says, patting Taeyong on the back in order to get him to leave the kitchen faster.

Ignoring his two friends whispering loudly to one another, Yuta takes out tupperware after tupperware from his fridge. When he finally leaves the kitchen, Johnny is already waiting for him, taking several of the containers from him before rejoining Taeyong who neurotically rearranges the cookies until he notices Yuta’s soft frown.

“They’re perfect!” blurts out Taeyong, eyes wide. When he sees Yuta isn’t convinced, he picks one up and eats it, shoving the entire cookie into his mouth. In a second, Yuta is no longer hurt - rather, he’s concerned as Taeyong chokes on crumbs.

Johnny senses the crisis is averted as Yuta hands Taeyong a glass of milk. In response, he pulls a DVD out of his backpack, relishing as his friends groan in defeat. “Ready for the best fucking Christmas movie  _ ever _ ?”

“Can’t you make us watch  _ normal _ American Christmas movies like, I don’t know, Elf? Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer? Home Alone?” Taeyong looks exhausted as he flings himself back onto the couch.

“Now where’s the fun in that? Plus, every movie can be a a Christmas movie if you have enough holiday spirit!” Johnny laughs as he fiddles with the remote to connect to the TV to the DVD player. Yuta sides with Taeyong - Die Hard probably isn’t the most Christmas-y of movies that Johnny could pick for them.

But, he doesn’t care. Christmas is Christmas when he’s with his friends, questionable opinions be damned. So, he settles on the couch between Taeyong and Johnny, the familiar opening scene of Die Hard beginning to play. Maybe one day he’ll think it’s a Christmas movie.


	7. DAY 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Renjun just wanted to sleep. They had other plans.

Renjun doesn’t hate Christmas. In fact, he quite enjoys the holiday. It’s a signal that work is going to slow down and he gets to head home for some rest. The moment he arrives home, he greets his parents before turning off his phone and falling face-first in bed. He sleeps for twenty-two hours. He only wakes up to eat, shower, and brush his teeth before settling back into bed.

He sleeps for another hour before he is woken by the sound of stampeding before his door is slammed open. Three bodies pile on top of him as Renjun stares at the ceiling, sighing. Arms are around his neck as a head of fluffy hair rubs against his face. “Jun-Junnie! Wake up! Come  _ on _ ! It’s winter break! We’re finally home from university - let’s  _ do something! _ ”

“All I want  _ to do _ is  _ sleep _ ,” grumbles out Renjun. He tries to turn over in bed while closing his eyes, but a warm hand gently pats his cheek.

“ _ Injun _ , come on. If I’m not allowed to sleep away winter break, neither can you.” Cracking an eye open, Renjun looks at Jeno’s bright smile and sighs deeply, struggling to sit up. Jeno helps him with a gentle hand as Donghyuck aggressively pulls on his arms. Jaemin sits back, laughing loudly.

“It’s only two in the afternoon! Let’s go! We can still go to the mall or something!” says Donghyuck. Renjun squints. They always joked - everyone always joked - that Donghyuck was like the sun, but as the sun peeking through the curtains reflects off of Donghyuck’s round cheeks, Renjun thinks that maybe it was  _ too _ accurate. “We can go get some hot bubble tea and people watch like we used to!”

“... I  _ really _ just want to sleep.”

“Were you pulling all-nighters during finals  _ again _ , Junnie? I thought you kicked that habit last year. See, Jeno, I  _ told you _ us all going to different universities was a bad idea. Look at the bags under Renjun’s eyes!” Jaemin holds Renjun’s face in his hands, gently turning his head every which way before narrowing his eyes. “Even  _ I _ don’t drink that much coffee anymore, Jun. Come on. Let’s get you moving!”

“You never actually catch up on sleep, you know,” says Jeno with a smile, helping Renjun stand. “It just makes you more exhausted. Let’s go do something, we can grab dinner after the mall, and then we can all watch a movie and crash at Jaemin’s house.” Renjun simply sighs as Jaemin bolts out the door before returning with Renjun’s toothbrush with toothpaste already on it. He brushes Renjun’s teeth, much to his chagrin, as Donghyuck backhugs him, chin digging into his shoulder.

Jeno pushes them all towards the bathroom to let Renjun spit and rinse his mouth. “I’m not  _ five _ , guys. I can do this on my own.”

“Sure you can, Junnie,” says Jaemin, wiping his mouth for him. Jeno and Donghyuck stand in the doorway, the latter holding Renjun’s coat. Donghyuck helps him put on his coat as Jeno brushes down his hair, giggling softly at strands that won’t sit flat. “We’ll have a fun time, okay?”

“You say that _every time_ , and the  _ last time _ -”

“We don’t talk about that day!” interjects Jeno.

“Jaemin set  _ fire _ to Mrs. Jung’s  _ bush _ .”

“It was an  _ accident _ . Plus, it’s cold and snowy outside! I can’t set anything on fire!”

“... Please. Don’t jinx it, Jaemin… Let’s just go to the mall, come back, watch a movie, and sleep. Okay?” pleads Jeno. “No chaos today. Let’s just get Jun some sun since he’s been in bed for literally a whole entire day.”

“Renjun?” asks Donghyuck.

“I, personally, would like to be back in bed, but if we’re doing anything, I’d prefer to  _ not _ have chaos involved. That said, isn’t chaos Jaemin’s  _ thing _ ? Isn’t that why we love him?” Renjun sighs, shaking his head. “Let’s just go get some bubble tea and window shop and watch that movie that Donghyuck’s been talking about in the group chat.”

Jaemin gasps dramatically, holding his hands to his chest as they walk out of Renjun’s house, shouting their good bye’s to his mother. “Did  _ the _ Renjun just admit he loves me?”

“Let’s not go pushing it today, Nana,” mutters Renjun around a yawn. “Come on, let’s go. Who drove?”

“Me,” says Jeno, jingling his keys. “Do you want to sit in the front?”

“No  _ fair _ !” Jaemin and Donghyuck begin arguing as Renjun resolutely sits in the front seat, smiling triumphantly at them from inside the car. 

“Come  _ on _ . Let’s just get going.” He feigns impatience, pouting at his three friends standing outside of the car. In an instant, they’re clambering in, buckling up, and driving off. They’re chaos - but they’re his best friends. He wouldn’t want it any other way.


	8. DAY 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taeil loves decorating his apartment for the holidays, even if everyone says it’s too much.

The box is huge, Taeil struggling to pull it out from the back of his balcony storage door. Shutting the sliding door, he looks around at his apartment which, for a majority of the year, is devoid of decorations other than photos here and there of friends and family. A fake Christmas tree stands in the corner of his living room, already assembled and dusted from the previous day when Taeil had called Johnny over to help him.

“It’s  _ December first _ ,” Johnny had grumbled, dragging the parts of the tree out of the box. Taeil ignored him, instead placing the skirt for the tree down on the stand, humming along to the Christmas songs playing from his phone propped up on his coffee table. Huffing, Johnny gently nudges him to the side, putting the tree together as Taeil shuffles over to the kitchen to start dinner. He had, after all, convinced Johnny to help under the guise of feeding him.

Other than the tree, however, Taeil enjoys being independent when it comes to decorating. Through the years he has managed to amass a frighteningly impressive collection of decorations. He decides his first order of business is his tree as he pulls meters of tinsel out of the box and begins to methodically wrap it around the three. Jingle Bell Rock plays in the background as Taeil walks in tight circles around his tree, occasionally pausing to adjust it. A high-pitched ding interrupts the music, though he ignores it, instead choosing to stand back and appreciate his handiwork.

Deciding the tinsels’ placement is satisfactory, he pulls shoeboxes full of ornaments out of the larger box. Each ornament carries a memory, some fonder than others. The Angel for the top of the tree still sits safely in the box, wrapped in layers of newspaper. The first ornament he pulls out is the first ornament his mother bought him when he first moved out. It’s a small house - cute, quaint. White with a red roof. His dream house when he was younger. He lives in an apartment, but his mother had explained that it may be an apartment, but it’s  _ his _ first home. His place to call his own. Every year since then, Taeil has been sure to put this ornament on the tree first.

Memories flash by with each ornament as Taeil places them on the tree. The last one is the ornament Yuta gave him for his birthday. A silver music note with Taeil’s name engraved on it in celebration of Taeil earning his Masters in Music Therapy. It was thoughtful - and probably Taeil’s favorite birthday gift from anyone - even more than the new keyboard that Johnny, Mark, and Donghyuck pooled money together to get him. He would never  _ tell _ them that, but Yuta was always the most supportive of his love for Christmas and it showed, seeing that a majority of the ornaments he’s received come from him.

With the final ornament, Taeil digs through the box, eventually finding the angel. He carefully unwraps it, looking at it fondly before opening his step stool to place it on top. In retrospect, he thinks, he should have asked Johnny to place it on the top of the tree yesterday, but something about decorating his tree feels… personal. And, as much as he would love to share it with his friends, he would rather have those sorts of memories with someone in the future. For now, he is content to decorate on his own.

The tree finished, Taeil is quick to pull out the small wooden houses. He builds a town on the mantelpiece, complete with stores and a town hall. He adds small people, an ice rink, a giant tree in the center of the town. Cotton balls stretched into sheets makes fake snow, fairy lights twisting throughout the town making it feel a little more… magical. Everything about Christmas, though, is magical to Taeil.

Ever since he was a kid, it was his favorite holiday. The lights and decorations made the world feel brand new. His apartments have since become his small slice of his own heaven, a corner of Christmas for him to come home to. Looking at the small town he put together, he smiles. His own little Christmas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short and sweet and to-the-point.  
> from here on out they'll be short lil' blurbs about individual members during the holidays!


	9. DAY 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny. Loves. Christmas.

Johnny. Loves. Christmas. He loves the hot chocolate (perhaps spiked with peppermint rum), he loves building gingerbread houses, he loves decorating the tree, he loves the light, he loves the  _ magic _ . But, most of all, Johnny loves being with family. The grueling process of cutting down the tree together and struggling to set it up was  _ always _ made worth it when the scent of pine tree permeated the house.

Johnny’s first Christmas on his own is quiet. After spending his formative years believing Christmas is a family affair, spending the holiday alone feels…  _ weird _ . Johnny wouldn’t call it sad. “Growing up and out is a part of life, after all,” he had said to Mark as he bought a wreath. “It just… It’s weird. I’m at that stage in my life where I don’t have my  _ own _ family yet, but I can’t go home to celebrate it with family.” Mark, with seven boxes of fairy lights in his arms had merely nodded. He, afterall, was flying home in a few days.

“I get it. Or, I mean, I think I’ll get it. Eventually,” Mark had said after prolonged silence. He trailed behind Johnny, who peered critically at the decorations on the shelves, eventually choosing a box of ornaments. Eventually they left the department store, shoving everything into Johnny’s backseat before driving back to Johnny’s small apartment on the edge of the city. Taeil, his neighbor, greets him in the lobby as they pass by one another, going on their separate ways.

Eventually Mark left, leaving Johnny on his own to decorate. It was an automatic, emotionless affair, Johnny staring at the short, fake tree he had bought with Ten’s input. “It’s  _ too _ small,” Jaehyun had said, staring at it critically. “... Why’d you let Ten help you? You could’ve called me.”

“If it was too big, it would’ve been hard to store. My apartment is small and storage is limited,” Johnny had said, rolling his eyes as Jaehyun stood beside the tree, gesturing to the severe height difference between him and the tree. “It’s a  _ tiny _ apartment, Jae.”

“I  _ know _ , but like… Christmas is your thing. You’re like… a  _ year-round Santa _ .”

“... What. What are you… are you okay? I’m…  _ concerned _ .”

“Hey, it’s. I’m  _ fine _ . I swear to  _ God _ .” Jaehyun laughed at Johnny’s expression before grabbing his bag. “Anyways, I should get going. I’m carpooling back home with Taeyong and Doyoung. We’re leaving tonight. Taeyong is driving first.”

“Have a safe trip. Message me when you can.”

“Okay,  _ mom _ .” Jaehyun had given Johnny a hug before he left, the door closing behind him.

In the end, Johnny was…  _ alone _ . And, he admits, a little lonely. Christmas Eve was, for the first time in many years, quiet. Living alone was hard enough - but living across the world from family was even harder. A Christmas playlist from YouTube plays on his computer as he lays on the couch, staring at the ceiling. The only light comes from the fairy lights haphazardly strewn over the tree.

He falls asleep that way.

* * *

“ _ Merry Christmas _ !”

Johnny sits in front of his computer, a tall stack of pancakes in front of him. His parents, on his computer screen, have the same thing. “Merry Christmas mom, dad. I miss you guys.”


	10. DAY 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taeyong loves his bakery. So much, he hasn’t had a day off in five years.

The ringing of the door’s bell is a comfort for him. Looking up, he smiles at a familiar face. “Yuta! It’s been a bit since you’ve stopped by. Let me grab the gingerbread house you ordered.” Before the regular customer can reply, Taeyong scampers to the back, returning with a large box.

“Thanks, ‘Yong. I can always count on you. Happy holidays.” The baker returns the sentiments as he hands over the box, careful to make sure he does not drop it. Yuta pays the young man working the register before carrying the box out of the shop to his car that is parked out front. Taeyong waves to him, watching him drive off before sighing.

“Have you considered closing the bakery on Christmas this year?” asks Mark. He leans on the counter, propping his head up. “It’s not like anyone comes into the store on Christmas, right?” Wiping down the tables, Taeyong hums noncommittally in response. Groaning, Mark pushes himself into a standing position. “ _ Seriously _ . You haven’t had a day off since you opened your bakery. It’s okay to, like…  _ rest _ , you know.”

“I  _ can’t _ . Why would I rest? Maybe some people need to buy last-minute cookies or cakes for Christmas…” Looking away from his employee, he hums along to the Christmas music, shimmying a little to Jingle Bell Rock.

It had been five years since he opened his small bakery in town, foregoing his former accounting position in the city and pursuing his passion. When Taeil had told him that he would pay Taeyong for his cookies, the baker took his statement seriously. He vividly remembers the moment that he handed in his two-week notice. It was almost as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

In retrospect, Taeyong realizes that it should have been the opposite - that starting a business on his own should have been terrifying. But, then he thinks of how  _ miserable _ he was working nine-to-five in a small cubicle. While it was nice to work with Johnny, Taeyong’s most-trusted childhood friend, he struggled to find any sense of happiness or contentment with the position. Opening the bakery, despite all the stress, in the end, was worth it.

He is broken from his thoughts as Mark speaks over the instrumental version of Silent Night. “I worry about you! Johnny will be back in town. He’s coming back home this year according to Hyuck. Maybe we should all get together again and celebrate. Take a day off and spend it with us! It’ll be good for you. Don’t you think?” 

Mark’s eyes are wide as he looks at Taeyong with a hopeful look. The latter feels guilty as he looks at the young man he hired to work the register. “I… I don’t know. Maybe… you’re right. Maybe I should take it off for once.”

“Yes! I’ll have Hyuck message Johnny! Maybe I can convince Johnny to make dinner!”

“Maybe I’ll invite my new neighbor, too. He just moved here. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short, messy, choppy... i'll try to work harder. >,<


	11. DAY 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas, for Yuta, hasn’t had snow in a while. He isn’t too upset about that.

For years now, Yuta has had Christmas without snow. He doesn’t blink an eye as a new neighbor - he thinks his name is Mark Lee - complains about having a green Christmas. It’s not uncommon for new residents to come from places with snow, and Yuta would be lying if he said that he didn’t complain when he first moved, too. He doesn’t complain anymore, though. Not when it’s still warm enough during the winter for him to work on his plants outdoors. Winter break is quiet for him - he no longer has emails from students coming in every hour, worried about an assignment or the final exam or their major. Of course, he’ll receive the occasional,  _ Dear Professor Nakamoto _ here or there over break, but it’s never anything urgent or stressful.

When Yuta leaves his apartment, he smiles and waves politely to his new neighbor - definitely named Mark - before locking his door and taking the stairs rather than the elevator. It’s not a long walk down the stairs and to his car, though the hour drive to campus is a bit of a pain. The silence is filled with an audiobook - Taeil had recommended a new author to him, and so he was currently working his way through their writings. The hour passes easily, the greenhouse quickly coming into view. The building next to the greenhouse, where his official office is housed, is a passing observation as Yuta parks, sorting through his twenty-something keys as he walks up to the door of the green house to grab his things.

Yuta pauses, staring at the table that his things have been abandoned on, ferns and flower petals scattered over all of the paperwork and folders he has amassed through his few years as a professor.  _ On tenure-track _ , he can hear Johnny singing in his head. The history professor, and Yuta’s only close friend at the university, appears out of the corner of Yuta’s eyes as he leans over to pick up to hose in order to water the plants.

“You’re here over winter break  _ again _ ? We have winter break off, too, Yuta. You should go home. Plenty of other people could water the plants for you,” says Johnny, leaning against an observation table. He stumbles a bit as the wheels roll until the table is flush against the wall. Yuta can tell he’s embarrassed, so he bites his tongue, swallowing the teasing remark he was ready to say. “Like me.”

Yuta stands straight, sending Johnny an unimpressed look. “ _ Like you? _ You mean,  _ you _ , the person who almost killed all of the  _ succulents _ in my apartment? All you had to do was spray them with water every couple of days.”

“The soil was  _ dry _ ! How was I supposed to know?”

“I literally  _ told _ you that their soil isn’t supposed to be soaked!” Yuta is standing up straight, staring at his friend in awe. Johnny throws his hands up in the air, grumbling about how annoying and confusing plants are. “Please stick to teaching your courses for Middle Eastern studies and I’ll stick to my plants.”

“Well, I’m hiding out in the greenhouse today if that’s fine.” Johnny jumps up to sit on the observation table, grinning brightly at Yuta. The latter has no choice but to let it happen, sighing in defeat as his taller friend trails behind him as he waters all the plants, asking repeated what each plant was and a fun fact about each. This is the forty-seventh time Johnny has done this, and each time, Yuta pretends to be annoyed while he earnestly enjoys the company of his friend and his interest in the plants - even if it’s the same thing every time.

When he finishes watering in the greenhouse, he is surprised to turn around from his table to see Johnny still standing there, looking at him expectantly. Yuta is hesitant to say anything until he realizes that he isn’t leaving. “... What? I know that look. You’re about to ask me for a favor. What is it?”

“... I’m  _ perhaps _ having a holiday party this year since I’m staying in town for once and I know that you’re home,  _ so  _ I was wondering if you wanted to come?”

“Johnny, I hope you know that you look like a schoolgirl asking her crush to a dance or something,” jokes Yuta with a grin as he packs his bag back up. Johnny’s expression falls at Yuta’s teasing, so he sighs. “Don’t look so upset. Of course I’ll come. Who do you think I am?”

Immediately, a huge smile spreads across Johnny’s face as he pats his friend on the back. “Awesome! Listen, we’re going  _ all out _ . Peppermint hot chocolate, we’re gonna build gingerbread houses, bake cookies, and eat  _ cake _ . It’s gonna be so much fun!”

“Who else is coming?” asks Yuta. He gently guides his lumbering friend out of the greenhouse, narrowing dodging an arm swung in excitement.

Johnny is vibrating in excitement as he watches Yuta lock the door to the greenhouse. “Well, as of this moment, just you - but! I’m going to ask Taeil, too. And probably Taeyong - you remember my friend who owns the bookstore in town, right? I was thinking him. Oh, and my little brother - Hyuck, you know? His friend, Mark, just moved to town! So, I thought maybe he’d like to join us.”

Yuta falls silent before he looks at Johnny. “... Do you think a succulent would be a weird  _ welcome to the apartment complex _ gift for Mark? Also, would it be weird to bundle that into a housewarming gift  _ and _ a Christmas gift?”

“... Mark likes books.”

“A book it is.”


	12. DAY 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kun’s sons make the holidays a little more hectic than people tell him they should be. Kun loves his kids too much to care.

Being a single father, one could say, is a bit of a burden. Particularly around the holidays and  _ especially _ if you have more than one kid. Which is why Kun holds both his children by the hands as he marches into the toy store. This year, he has decided he will walk his children through the store and ask them what they want. They’re old enough now, he decides, and his neighbor’s son, Yukhei, already broke the news to them that Santa wasn’t real last week. Kun is still trying to recover from that mess.

He thinks, though, that Renjun has always been skeptical of the existence of Santa. His sharp eyes never missed anything, and he was always watching. Chenle, on the other hand, still very much had it in him to believe in fantasies.  _ He _ was the one who was particularly crushed by Yukhei’s ranting. Renjun merely patted  _ Kun _ on the back and told him that he was a great dad. Kun didn’t know whether to feel appreciated or fearful of his son. He settled for somewhere in-between.

“Now. Remember what I told you two. Two gifts each. More gifts will be arriving in the mail from Uncle Sicheng and Uncle Johnny. Uncle Taeyong will also be stopping by.” Renjun nods in that usual way of his as Chenle bounces up and down in excitement. “And…?”

“And?” parrots Chenle, eyes wide.

“And no telling other kids what we know about Santa,” mumbles Renjun.

“Right. You got that, Chenle?”

“Yes!”

Kun is not surprised when Chenle lets it slip to another kid while they’re checking out that Santa doesn’t exist, but is grateful that he waited until they were grabbing their bags and walking away. The poor boy, Jisung, looked up at his father, heartbroken. Waving and smiling apologetically, Kun ushered his children out of the store and to their car.

“Are we going to wrap our own presents?” asks Renjun quietly during the drive home.

“No. I’ll still wrap them. Your favorite Christmas movie is on soon, right?”

“... Right.”

Kun eyes Renjun with concern through the rearview mirror, the rest of the car ride full of Chenle’s babbling about how  _ annoying _ that boy was. For what it’s worth, Kun didn’t even know Chenle knew the word annoying. He’s sure that it was probably Renjun who taught him - or maybe Chan’s son, Jeongin. He tries not to think about it too much and decides that a talk later should suffice.

When they finally arrive home, car unpacked and everything safely inside, Kun is surprised when he looks up to see Renjun standing in the doorway. His son sits across from him at the small kitchen table where he wraps the toys they just bought. They stare at one another, and Kun thinks to himself, again, that his son has always been eerily perceptive of those around him. The tense silence eventually melts into a comfortable one as Renjun begins to play with his DS and Kun returns to wrapping presents.

Renjun helps carry the gifts to sit beneath the tree, before looking up at his father, eyes slightly narrowed in the way that means Renjun is  _ curious _ . “Uncle Johnny is coming, right?”

“That’s right,” answers Kun. He doesn’t  _ mean _ to be wary of his son, but the way he speaks always makes Kun a tad bit nervous.

“That means Donghyuck is coming, too, right?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. I’ll try to keep everyone together on Christmas,” says Renjun simply, before turning away. He pauses, looking up at Kun, calculating. “You were stressed, right? Because so many people are going to be in our tiny house. I’ll help. Stop stressing so much, dad. You’re gonna go gray. I’m sure Mark will help out, too.” Renjun shrugs before walking to the couch and plopping down beside Chenle, who immediately clings to his older brother.

Kun remembers the first Christmas he spent with the boys after finalizing their adoption. Chenle was quick to warm up to him, but Renjun always met him somewhere halfway, not willing to let Kun step into his world. Not yet, anyways. Kun hopes that somewhere in the future, Renjun will open up more - but, he’s never been one to pry, and Renjun comes to him when it boils down to it. And, in a way, his sons take care of him as much as he takes care of them. Kun knows - that’s not how it really  _ should _ be, but their family never has been and never will be conventional.

The timer in the kitchen beeps as he hurries off to take the cookies out of the oven. Renjun had begged him for chocolate chip cookies for the movie.


	13. DAY 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doyoung is exhausted, but Christmas doesn’t mean a day off. Jaehyun, however, has other plans.

“Perhaps you should  _ leave _ ,” deadpans Jaehyun, leaning against the doorway to Doyoung’s office. The latter looks at his friend, unamused, before diverting his attention back to the computer screen, the sound of typing filling the silence. Jaehyun sighs, shaking his head. “Doyoung, seriously. It’s Christmas Eve. And it’s ten at night. It’s okay to, I don’t know… Take a break, you know. Just because we don’t have a partner and kids to go home to doesn’t mean we have to work on the holidays.”

“I’m fine, Jaehyun. You should go home.”  The man in question chooses to settle in the chair across from Doyoung, much to his chagrin. “Jaehyun. Seriously. It’s fine.” He doesn’t look away from his computer screen while he talks, instead choosing to focus on whatever task occupies his attention.

“Nope. I’m gonna sit here until you’re ready to leave, and we’re gonna go to that convenience store around the corner from our building and eat shitty food.” Jaehyun crosses his arms petulantly as he sits there, staring Doyoung down. The latter doesn’t care, typing away. Eventually Jaehyun begins tapping his foot on the ground, which eventually does catch Doyoung’s attention, noted by his gaze whipping in his direction. “Ready to go now?”

“No.”

“Oh, come  _ on _ , Doie. Let’s  _ go _ . You’re probably starving and working on something that you don’t have to submit for like  _ six months _ -”

“Three.  _ Three _ months.”

“You say that like it’s any better. Plus, I know you, and you’re probably near done, anyways. Perhaps consider  _ taking a breather _ .”

“I haven’t  _ taken a breather _ since freshman year of college.”

“I  _ know _ . We went to college together. Come on. Let’s just  _ go _ . If you don’t log out in five minutes I’m unplugging your computer.”

Doyoung pauses, head whipping so fast to face Jaehyun that his neck cracks. Jaehyun looks down at his watch before tapping its face, smirking. To anyone else, Jaehyun’s statement would’ve sounded joking, but Doyoung, after being friends for almost ten years, wouldn’t doubt him. He questions Jaehyun anyways. “You wouldn’t  _ dare _ .”

“Try me. Plus, I’m technically in a position  _ higher _ than you.”

“Wha - no? No you’re not? I’m CFO and you’re COO. We’re both senior management positions -”

“ _ Anyways _ , COO is more fun because if you say it out loud, you sound like a pigeon.” Jaehyun grins, bouncing in his seat. “Like, you know. I’m the  _ coo _ . Like a  _ pigeon _ .”

Doyoung stares at his friend, lips pursed, before he pinches the bridge of his nose. After a lengthy inhale and exhale, he claps his hands together. “You… We… We’re not discussing this  _ again _ , Jae.” Saving his files, he leans back in his chair, glaring at his younger friend who grins brightly. He doesn’t  _ want _ to give in and leave, but he knows that time is ticking and Jaehyun  _ will _ unplug his computer when the five minute mark hits.

“So… Ramen?”

“Just please don’t call your position  _ coo _ again.”

“... Just for tonight or for forever?”

“... At least a few days.”

“Deal!”


	14. DAY 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten is home for the holidays. He can't tell if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Ten is  _ tired _ . His muscles ache from sitting on a plane for hours. Yesterday he had been excited to hop on a plane to Thailand, headed home for the holidays for the first time in years. However, the years had not been kind to Ten, and his body was not as apt to be cramped into a small space for hours. Of course, Ten would get up every so often, wander the plane and stretch his legs, but it always ended up with him crunched into the same small space anyways.

He thinks of all the things he wanted to do while he was home - visit the old dance studio, stop by to see some old friends, and, as always, spend time with family. For the first time, his family isn’t waiting at the airport for him, and he stares fondly at the scenery as he rides the taxi to his childhood home.

His mother greets him first, and it’s a whirlwind as he’s passed from family member to family member, everyone asking how he is and what he’s been up to and how long he’ll be there and -

Finally, he finds himself in his old bedroom, staring at the ceiling as he tries to get some semblance of rest. Being home is…  _ nice _ , but he also feels restless. Something about being home spurs an odd feeling in his chest. Perhaps it’s the sense of nostalgia that makes him want to wander and relive his memories. BamBam and Lisa had messaged him the moment he touched down, reminding him that the studio was always open to him.

But, the need to  _ move _ wasn’t necessarily the need to  _ dance _ . It was the need to - stretch? Ten frowns at the ceiling as the word passes through his mind.  _ Stretch? _ He thinks for a few moments before shaking his head wearily. He’s sure that  _ stretch _ is the wrong word. But, nothing else comes to mind. He thinks perhaps he misses his own space - that, as much as he missed his family, he also misses to need to be alone, in his own space and own mindset. He wonders if this is his subconscious way of knowing that he’s growing up and out of his hometown.

Not that he hadn’t noticed already. It just feels oddly pertinent as he stares at the ceiling from his childhood. He wonders, however, if maybe he’s just stuck too much in his own thoughts. After few messages to Lisa and BamBam, Ten finds himself back in the studio, the familiar fluorescent lights a comfort as he stretches.  _ Definitely not the kind of stretching I was thinking about _ , he thinks as he scrolls through his phone for a song.

It takes a few minutes and he wonders if maybe he’ll feel better if he lays on the floor and listens to music. He decides against it, but notes in the back of his mind that it’s an option if he ever feels overwhelmed. Taeyong and he would spend late nights in the dance studio, listening to different songs and just talking when he first moved. It was comforting, and he thinks that perhaps it’d be comforting again.

For the night, however, he dances.

Ten, in the future, will look back on this visit home and realize that this is the moment he figured out that he had grown up and grown out of his childhood, and had stepped into another part of his life. Kun teases him about it endlessly, but Ten still looks upon this moment with a fierce feeling of fondness. He might not have known what the restlessness was then, but he surely knows it now.


	15. DAY 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaehyun faces internal strife. And Donghyuck breaks his arm.

Jaehyun is tired. He groans as he flops onto his back and Johnny, sprawled on his bed, snorts. “Shut up,” mutters Jaehyun. “You’re in college - you don’t have a ten-page paper due next Wednesday.”

“No, I had a thirty-page lab report due last Tuesday,” retorts Johnny, raising an eyebrow as he looks off the edge of the bed.. When Jaehyun says nothing, he settles, returning to his DS. The sound of a Pokemon battle drifts down to Jaehyun.

“It’s not  _ my _ fault you decided that you wanted to be a biochem major so you could go to vet school.”

Johnny peers at him from the bed before he throws a pillow, hitting Jaehyun square in the face. “ _ Speaking of _ ,” says Johnny, “all your college apps are in, right? Did you end up applying undecided to all of them?” The silence from his friend confirms his question. “It’s not a big deal, you know. You’ll get accepted somewhere, take your gen ed’s your first year, and figure out what you want to do.”

“What if I  _ don’t _ , though? Like, what if I’m wasting all this time and money for nothing?”

“Why didn’t you decide to take a gap year, then?”

“Because I have a  _ feeling _ \- I can’t explain it, but I think I’m going to figure things out in college. I think I need to go. It’ll help me.” Jaehyun shrugs, moving the pillow to sit behind his head. He ignores Johnny’s stare, instead choosing to scroll through his phone, making faces at tweets. “Did you see what Donghyuck just tweeted? Should we be concerned?”

“Wh-why? What did he tweet?”

“‘Do you think the snow is thick enough on the ground that I can jump out of my window without getting hurt - asking for a friend.’”

“... We should go check on him.”

“Agreed.”

* * *

“I didn’t  _ know _ I would break my arm,” snorts Donghyuck. Jaehyun stares at the younger boy in awe before shaking his head. “The snow looked like it would cushion my fall.”

“You nearly gave your mother a heart attack for Christmas,” grumbles Johnny.

Jaehyun sits back and watches as Johnny scolds Donghyuck, taking special care not to bring up the fact that Johnny had cried for five hours without stop over the younger boy hurting himself. Mark interjects at opportune moments Jaehyun is fascinated at how, even with Johnny gone for long stretches at a time at college, their dynamic had not changed. He would never say it out loud, but he feels thankful for that.

He also wonders if him leaving will change that. Jaehyun, without thinking, had applied to schools across the country. Johnny hadn’t said anything, just raised an eyebrow and supported him, helped with all the essays and applications. Jaehyun, honestly, wondered if he would be accepted to any of the schools, but his academic counselor had waved a dismissive hand - “Jaehyun, you’d been in the top 5% of your class for all four years. You have nothing to worry about.”

He had wanted to say something like,  _ actually, there’s a lot to worry about, like how I’m not sure what the hell I’m doing with my life _ , but he bit his tongue, thanking his counselor before leaving the office, feeling as confused as he was - perhaps more - than when he came in.

Jaehyun doesn’t realize when Johnny, Mark, and Donghyuck fall silent, staring at him in concern. Blinking a few times, he stares back at them in confusion. It’s calm for a few moments before Johnny laughs, shaking his head. “Whatever you’re thinking about - just let it go for now. It’ll be fine, in the end, you know.”

Jaehyun pauses before smiling easily, shrugging. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”


	16. DAY 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sicheng loves being President of a company. Renjun wishes his brother would stop bringing up buying Chenle a cow.

Sicheng stares back at Renjun, who leans his head on his hand. “Listen. I  _ get _ what you’re saying, but I’m telling you that you’re stupid.  _ And _ wrong. Stupidly wrong,” says Renjun. He leans back in his chair, arms crossed as he stares at his older brother. Sicheng is speechless, just barely preventing his jaw from dropping.

“... How am I  _ wrong _ ?” he asks, throwing his hands in the air. “Are you… kidding? You have to be kidding, right? I know I’m right.”

“ _ Please _ .” Renjun scoffs, shaking his head. “... Sicheng. You… do  _ not _ buy Chenle a cow for Christmas. Just because you have the money and just because he explicitly  _ asked _ you for a cow does not mean that you need to get him a cow.”

“... But he  _ asked _ . And nicely.”

“How did you end up the President of one of the world’s biggest corporations? I - I  _ worry _ . Someone is gonna take advantage of you one of these days.”

“It’ll be fine! I haven’t been led astray yet, have I? Plus, all of us have a soft spot for Chenle. Even Kun wavered when I mentioned buying him a cow.”

“... Chenle is Kun’s younger brother, Sicheng. Of course he’s gonna waver. Just because Kun is your business advisor doesn’t mean that his opinion on buying Chenle a cow should be important.”

Sicheng stares at Renjun with wide eyes, hands folded as they stare at one another from each side of the kitchen table. He moves to talk, but a look from his younger brother silences him. “... Fine. I will not buy Chenle a cow.”

“Good -“

“I’ll buy him a year’s worth of milk.”

“... Not all at once, right?” Renjun stares at him uneasily, nervous as he waits for his brother’s reply. Sicheng pretends to mull over the answer, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. His brows furrow before he opens his eyes, smiling brightly.

“Why not?”

Sicheng barely contains his smile as he watches Renjun groan. Since becoming President, his favorite pastime had become stressing out his younger brother by playing dumb and pretending to make stupid financial decisions. Kun always warns him to stop it, but Sicheng just shrugs. “What if I suddenly run away and start a new life in Norway, Kun?”


	17. DAY 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moving during the winter was cheaper, Jungwoo reminds himself, as he works on Christmas Eve.

When Jungwoo finishes his phone call with his mother, he sets his phone down, allowing himself just a moment of loneliness. Moving in the winter had been strategic - the costs were low because so few people were moving into and out of the area during the winter. Extending his lengthy commute into the city for an additional few months wasn’t a big deal. If anything, Jungwoo enjoyed the two hour commute, alone to peruse his own thoughts and listen to the most recent album from his favorite artist, Moon Taeil.

(Taeil keeps telling Jungwoo to stop bragging about him. “We’re friends - if you don’t like my music it’s fine.” Jungwoo feels personally offended on behalf of his best friend, shaking his head and spending two hours explaining to Taeil that  _ no _ , he doesn’t just listen to him because they’re friends - Taeil’s voice is  _ honestly _ one of the most lovely things Jungwoo has ever been given the opportunity to listen to and he  _ will _ brag about his friend if given the chance.)

He hesitates to call Taeil, though caves in after a few moments, only to be greeted by the voicemail message. Jungwoo pauses for a moment before remembering his friend’s current status of  _ on an airplane - will message you when I land! _

Jungwoo is grateful that his apartment is at least decorated - looking lively and festive even if he doesn’t necessarily  _ feel _ that way. The tinsel and the fairy lights and the smell of evergreen is a welcome distraction from the feeling of loneliness that hangs over his head. He’s, as a whole, grateful. Grateful for his wonderful job, the people in his life, the city, his life - but, part of him wishes that he was home, with his family for Christmas Eve. But, he had been adamant about driving over the day-of Christmas rather than taking off two days from work from his new job.

(Jungwoo’s boss, Taeyong, had eyed him warily as he said he would work in the office on Christmas Eve and be back for the 26th, even going so far as to suggest to Jungwoo that two days off was nothing - that the office would be fine with just Johnny and Kun to run the office. But, Jungwoo had nodded no and been fiercely stubborn. At the moment, as he adjusts his tie and gets ready to leave, he wonders if maybe he should’ve listened to his boss.)

Jungwoo arrives at work to find a small basket, full of holiday goods and a note. “ _ Don’t work too late! Enjoy the holidays. Johnny and Kun _ ,” mutters Jungwoo under his breath, smiling as he shakes his head. “Will do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had this and the oosts until dec 23 drafted! they're all really short and 100% not proof-read at all and not good so :) i apologize in advance about that!


	18. DAY 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark misses home.

Christmas is  _ different _ . Mark hasn’t been home for Christmas in years. He knows that it’s just not the same kind of holiday in Korea, but that doesn’t stop him from wishing that he could go home for it anyways. He would never say it out loud, but he misses the snow and he misses his family and he misses his friends, even if they weren’t friends for that long. There’s nothing shameful in saying any of that out loud - Mark knows that. Johnny still talks about how much he misses home on a daily basis, but he also still goes back to Chicago during America’s school year. Mark doesn’t.

And he knows - that this is what he signed up for. And he’s chasing his dream and he’s grateful for it - but it doesn’t stop the pangs of homesickness that arise, especially during holidays. Chuseok was a particularly trying time, but he at least got to go home  _ sometimes _ . Other times trainees would invite him over for the holiday. Mark, despite his loneliness, would stay in the dorms, holding hour long phone conversations with his parents. Even his brother would pop on for a good while, asking how life was going, if he was doing okay, if school was still going smoothly.

Mark was never the only trainee still stuck in the dorms for Christmas, but a part of him felt better on his own, wrapped up in all the blankets suddenly freed by others staying home for a few days, hot chocolate, and Home Alone playing on Johnny’s laptop that he left in Korea  _ again _ . (Johnny never tells Mark that he left it behind on purpose, but Mark overhears him telling Taeyong a few weeks after they debut, Johnny still stuck in the trainee dorms. Mark had simply stood outside the door, head leaning back because he still wasn’t sure why Johnny hadn’t debuted  _ with _ them.)

Mark is young and on his own, and the pizza he ordered has already cooled to room temperature while he sat, enraptured by the movie on the laptop screen. Hours later, several Christmas movies crossed off his list, Mark shuffles into the small kitchen, the manager poking his head out of his room at the noise. He offers Mark a pitiful smile before closing the door again. The only sound in the small kitchen is the sound of the microwave and Mark’s voice, humming Christmas carols. He’ll head to church for Christmas Eve mass with a friend’s family, but until then, he stays warm in the familiarity of the trainee dorm. It’s quiet, but he isn’t sure if he’s lonely.


	19. DAY 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yukhei starts a snowball fight. All he gets out of it is a bloody nose.

Yukhei presses the back of his hand to his nose, pulling away to see a bright red splotch of blood. Pausing, he stares at the sky, wondering  _ how _ exactly he ended up in this position.

* * *

“I’m  _ telling you _ ,” Renjun had huffed, mittened-hands waving around as he grumbled. To himself of Yukhei, the latter was unsure, but he listens regardless as his younger friend rants, pacing back and forth. “Sicheng probably did something  _ stupid _ again, and now Kun, Sicheng, and Chenle are going to be late.”

“Do you think if I -”

“No.”

“You didn’t even listen to what I had to say!” says Yukhei, eyes wide. “Why -”

“It’s a bad idea. I already know.”

“Oh? And how do you know?”

Renjun pauses from his pacing to slowly turn towards Yukhei. Folding his hands in front of him, he smiles patiently as he takes a deep breath. “Yukhei. My friend. An older brother to me. A soon-to-be high school graduate. Think for a moment. How did your  _ last _ plan to get Chenle out of the house quicker go?”

“... In my defense -”

“Yukhei. You broke your wrist.”

“It got better!”

“... Right. Fine. What’s your plan?”

“Throw snowballs at the windows.”

“...  _ Please _ tell me that you’re joking Yukhei.  _ Please _ . I beg of you.”

“What  _ else _ are we supposed to do? 

“Wait. Outside. Like  _ normal _ people would do.”

“Okay, but it’s  _ cold _ and it’ll definitely get their attention, right?”

“Fine. Throw it. But, I’m not a part of this.”

Yukhei pulls a snowball out from behind his back as Renjun blanches, trying to vocalize  _ where did that come from _ . Turning towards the house the two of them stand in front of, Yukhei prepares to throw the snowball, clueless to what he’s about to start.

* * *

He pinches his nose, head tilted back, as Kun glares at him, Renjun, and Chenle, who sit in front of him on the couch.

“And? What lesson did we learn today?”

“Snowballs are dangerous!”

“Yukhei has stupid ideas.”

“I’m the neighborhood snowball fight champion.”

“None of those… I…  _ None _ of those are the lesson you learned today.”

“Then I guess we learned nothing!” says Chenle with a bright smile.

“As usual,” mutters Renjun.


	20. DAY 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Renjun is tired, but he's grateful, even as he watches his hard work crash to the ground.

For a moment, he stares blanky at Jeno, who nervously grins. They both, at the same moment, wish to disappear - melt into the floor and never show their face in the cafe, for very different reasons. Renjun, a barista, stuck on a late-night shift on Christmas, stares at the carefully made latte that now decorates the store floor before flinging himself on the counter and groaning. Jeno curses his sweaty palms and internally laments the loss of the overpriced latte. There is no one else in the cafe, but Jeno thinks he won’t be able to show his face in the store anymore regardless of their surroundings.

“Jen, I really appreciate you coming out to keep me company during my shift, but…” Renjun pushes himself up, now leaning on his elbows as he looks at his roommate, who looks back at him meekly. Heaving a sigh, he shakes his head. “I don’t think I can make you another latte without charging you. I can pour you a cup of decaf, no charge, though. And you can choose whatever milk and syrups and stuff you want. And I won’t charge you. But. I just. I don’t want to make another peppermint mocha latte today.”

“That’s fine by me!” squeaks out Jeno, nodding his head. It’s a jerky motion that gives him a headache, but he doesn’t take the time to listen to Renjun’s response, instead disappearing into to the back room, where he knows he’ll find a mop. This isn’t the first time that he had split something when the cafe was empty, after all.

Renjun just shakes his head, already knowing how Jeno likes his coffee. A little too bitter by Renjun’s standards, but a little too sweet by Jaemin’s. The perfect middle. Renjun thinks, in that moment, that it’s Jeno who has kept the friendship between the three of them alive for almost six years, all the way into university. He and Jaemin are opposites and Jeno is, and always was, and always will be, the perfect medium. Friendly, but not too friendly. Trusting, but not blindly. When Jeno finishes mopping up the coffee, Renjun places the cup down on the pick up counter. “Don’t bother putting away the mop. We close in a bit and I have to mop all the floor anyways.”

“I’ll stick around, then,” says Jeno with a bright grin as he moves to tuck into his favorite booth. “How’d Jaem get himself out of this shift, anyways? Like, isn’t he the perfect employee?”

“Yeah - he’s too perfect. But, he’s cursed and the damn coffee drip of  _ all things _ never works for him when he’s on a shift by himself. So, it fell on me. Sicheng and Mark went home for the holidays for the first time in a while. I don’t mind.”

“ _ You _ haven’t been home for a while, either, Jun. And I don’t mean back to where we spent our high school years. I mean back  _ home _ \- China, for you. Your parents miss you, don’t they?” Jeno peers at him from over his coffee cup and Renjun shrugs listlessly as he begins to clean up after switching the sign to CLOSED.

“I miss them, and they miss me, but I see them enough. And, video calls have made distance a lot easier, right? Plus, I have my own little family here. And, I don’t know. It’s not that bad.” If Jeno had blinked a second later, he would’ve missed the gentle smile that played on Renjun’s lips for a moment before he frowned as he locked up the register. “I won’t be long. Once I’m done we can go pick up the eggnog that Jaem likes before going home.”


	21. DAY 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeno doesn’t work as a barista like Jaemin or Renjun. He sits behind a tidy desk and watches as cats and dogs and rabbits and all animals are adopted off to loving homes. And then, suddenly, for the first time, he finds himself going home, an old grumpy cat tucked safely into a carrier. He hopes his roommates are fine with it.

Jeno, when applying to the job at the shelter, was  _ excited _ . He was excited to get to sit with the cats and the dogs and the rabbits and the birds and the  _ everything _ , and help them socialize and go off to loving homes with people who saw the potential in them. Jeno, when applying to the shelter, had no intention of adopting an animal himself. Three cats wait for him at his parents’ house, and it’s not like he had the time or money to invest in one as a university student. The job was a placeholder - a way for him to interact with the animals he so dearly loved, but also stifle his fierce need to have an animal at home.

Which is why, as he leaves his shift on Christmas day with a cat carrier, he doesn’t really understand how exactly he  _ got there _ . Well, he  _ does _ . But, he still tries to figure things out for himself in his brain as he walks leisurely back to his apartment. He knows Renjun and Jaemin like cats, but he never explicitly mentioned them  _ owning _ a cat in the apartment, nor did he have any supplies for the cat at home. The heavy weight of his backpack reminds him that, for the day, he had nothing to worry about other than a litter box. (Renjun and Jaemin would run out to find one themselves when Jeno finally arrived home with the cat, but he didn’t know that.) Jeno leaves that for a  _ then _ problem rather than a  _ now _ problem.

He can hear Johnny, his supervisor, tutting at him for being so unprepared and spontaneous in the back of his head, but he doesn’t have it in him to listen to it today - not when the holiday season adoption event had been successful for every cat but  _ this one _ . Jeno had filled out the paperwork before leaving his shift for the day, petting the old cat on his fluffy head before packing him up and leaving. The cat didn’t make a fuss, simply accepting the movement and the change.

Jeno hates how sweaty his hands get when he’s nervous. He knows that he shouldn’t even  _ be _ nervous. Renjun and Jaemin had both, on their own, come to the conclusion that Jeno was bringing home  _ some _ sort of animal from his cryptic text messages, and neither of them had been upset or voiced any complaints. (Jeno knows that if they had any complaints, they would have made them. They’re not the kind of people to hold back, and that’s one of the things that Jeno appreciates about them, since Jeno  _ is _ .)

When he walks into their three-person apartment, Jaemin jumps up from the couch with a bright smile as Renjun peers at him and the cat carrier curiously from behind the couch.

“Guy… Meet Georgie.”

“... We’re changing the name, right?”


	22. DAY 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donghyuck hates caroling. Mark tells him that it’s ironic and Donghyuck just tells Mark that he can go sing in a square for hours on end without stopping in the cold if he thinks it’s not that bad. Mark shuts up after that.

Donghyuck loves singing - don’t get him wrong. It’s his passion - he wouldn’t be a music major with a concentration in vocal performance is he  _ didn’t _ . He just  _ hates _ caroling. He hates the corny, festive outfits the director makes them wear, he hates being out in the cold, and he especially hates  _ singing _ out in the cold. It hurts his throat, and almost every single year he’s done anything even close to singing out in the cold, he’s bedridden for days afterwards, Mark spoon-feeding him soup as he seethes over his predicament.

Donghyuck also, however, hates telling people  _ no _ . He used to be really good at it - too good at it, actually. And somewhere along the way, during his attempts to change himself, he became too bad at it. Mark and Jeno are the only people that Donghyuck can still say no to without thinking about it, but he attributes it to the fact that the two of them are his closest friends. 

Mark thinks that he can just  _ explain _ to his director about how singing in the cold never ends well for him, and Jeno just agrees as he leans against the countertop. Donghyuck has tried to explain to them, seven times now, that you don’t just  _ say no _ to his director. Saying no is the equivalent of saying  _ I quit _ and Donghyuck may be many things, but he is  _ not _ a quitter.

Which is why he finds himself glaring at Mark from across the square as the latter takes photos of him with Jaemin from inside a store at Donghyuck feels his fingers start to go numb from the cold. That evening, Mark finds a bag of coal in his seat at the dinner table as Donghyuck aggressively stabs at the dinner he made. He sniffs, somewhat pitifully, as he shovels a fork-full of peas into his mouth.

“What -”

“Merry  _ fuckin’ _ Christmas, Mark Lee.”

Mark simply laughed, moving the heavy bag to another chair. “Right. Merry Christmas, Hyuck.”


	23. DAY 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaemin doesn’t have to work on Christmas because the coffee machine hates him. Renjun also mutters something about hating him under his breath as he leaves for his Christmas shift, Jeno shuffling after him with a sheepish grin. Jaemin knows he’s joking as he shrugs, locking the door behind him as his eyes glimmer. An evening without his roommates has always been the perfect opportunity to bother their neighbors.

“Why hello there!” shouts Jaemin with a blinding smile as the door swings open. Donghyuck stares at him blankly for a moment before attempting to shut the door closed. He is quickly thwarted as Jaemin grins, squeezing into the apartment. “Thanks for letting me in. Injun and Jen are both busy tonight, so I figured I would stop by.” He eyes the bag of coal, raising an eyebrow as Mark simply holds his hands up in defeat. “Your caroling was lovely today, by the way, Hyuck!”

“I fuckin’  _ hate _ caroling,” grumbles Donghyuck, returning to his position sprawled across the couch. A Christmas movie plays on the television, more so festive background noise than anything else.

“I know. We’ve been told,” says Jaemin with a laugh. He pulls a tupperware from the bag he carries, placing it on Donghyuck’s stomach. “I know we all traded gifts this morning. Think of this as a belated gift. It’s my mom’s soup recipe for whenever I got sick as a kid. It’ll help, I think.”

Donghyuck stares up at him with wide eyes, before his sullen expression is replaced by a bright smile as he sits up. “Thanks, Jaem! Did you make this?”

“Sure did!”

“Oh, sweet,” says Donghyuck, jumping up to shove it into the refrigerator. “I can already feel my throat starting to get sore, honestly. So, this’ll be a  _ huge _ help. Thanks so much. I owe you.”

“Nonsense. It’s just a belated Christmas gift,” he says with a wave of his hand. He places the now empty bag on the floor beside the couch as he slumps in his seat. Mark and Donghyuck are quick to join him, the three of them settling into a comfortable silence as the movie plays.

“You should’ve brought Georgie over, Jaem. I can’t believe it’s his  _ third _ Christmas with you guys. He’s so  _ old _ ,” says Donghyuck.

“He’s very comfortably curled up on Injun’s bed back in our apartment. I don’t have the guts to move that cat - he’s got a vendetta against me or something,” grumbles Jaemin, groaning at the idea of trying to pick the cat up and walk down the hallway. “I’ll give you my key if you want to try, though.”

“... Nah. It’s fine,” interjects Mark.

Jaemin, in all honesty, wishes that his roommates didn’t work on Christmas. Or rather, that Renjun didn’t have to work and Jeno didn’t feel obligated to follow him and keep him company in the empty coffee shop. Of, he wishes that Taeil would let him work on Christmas. Regardless, he accepts that it’s the way the world works, and settles into the old, worn-in couch in Mark and Donghyuck’s apartment, sipping hot chocolate and listening to some of Mark’s favorite Christmas movies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fksdj this is a mess i'm. So Sorry.


	24. DAY 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’s his hero. Chenle has never really told Renjun that, but he doesn’t need to.

“We’re their favorites! Why wouldn’t they be happy to see us?” asks Chenle, eyes shining as he knocks on the door. Kun greets them with a bright smile. Before he can say anything, the door is slammed shut, only to be opened again a few moments later. Johnny is groaning in pain on the ground, though Chenle steps over him to give Kun a hug. “Happy holidays!”

“It’s been a while!” says Chenle with a bright smile. He and Xuxi settle onto the couch as Kun appears from the kitchen with a platter of four hot chocolates. “Four?” In the background, Johnny heaves himself up with a groan, leaning against the wall.

“Oh, Renjun is going to be here in a moment. So, I decided it was just easier to make the others now,” Kun replies. As if on cue, there is a knocking at the door. A disgruntled Johnny opens the door, letting out a relieved sigh as he sees Sicheng and Renjun. “I made hot chocolate!”

“Thanks for inviting us over for Christmas!” says Renjun with a polite smile as he moves to put several presents under the tree. Sicheng talks with Johnny as Kun prevents Xuxi from attempting to down the hot chocolate in one go.

“Are Jaemin and Jeno coming as well?” Kun’s smile is pleasant as he asks and Johnny adds in something about Donghyuck and Mark also making an appearance later on.

“Yeah - Jen had to work at the shelter this morning, so they’ll head over after his shift. Oh! Chenle! Xuxi!”

“Renjun!” shouts Chenle in excitement, jumping up to throw his arms around his friend.

“God, you keep growing, huh?” teases Renjun with a smile as he carefully takes his hot chocolate from Kun. Renjun is patient - he always was inexplicably patient with Chenle, even when they were small and Chenle’s high voice would fill the spaces left empty by Renjun’s tendency to stay quiet. Even distance couldn’t dispel whatever comfortable silence the two of them shared.

It’s not to say that Chenle didn’t miss Kun or Xuxi or Sicheng. Because, well, he  _ did _ . With his parents back in China, and the others a few hours away, Chenle without a doubt missed all of them. But Renjun was someone who, through it all,  _ really _ understood Chenle. And still does, as the two settle on the couch, side by side. They don’t say anything - one of the few times Chenle ever falls into a comfortable silence is with Renjun.

They don’t speak with words, but they speak with actions, Chenle resting his head on Renjun’s shoulder, as he always did when they were children. Chenle is taller than him now, and bigger, while Renjun is still petite. But, despite the changes over the years, Chenle still looks at him like he’s a  _ hero _ , even if all he does is go to class and work in a cafe. And, when they’re together, Renjun thinks that maybe he can be a hero for real.


	25. DAY 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jisung has growing pains. He hopes they go away soon.

Jisung finds everything a little bit odd when he comes home from college for the first time. Thanksgiving was a weird limbo - he didn’t go  _ home _ -home. They all met at his older brother, Taeyong’s, apartment which, while nice, wasn’t really  _ home _ . It’s his first time seeing Chenle in months. His first time seeing anyone from home in months, really. He thought that maybe he would feel some sense of nostalgia on the drive back, but Taeyong had laughed on the trip from the airport, shaking his head.

“I don’t know. Maybe you’re like me. The nostalgia won’t hit until you’ve moved across the country permanently and don’t come home often and work an exhausting nine-to-five.” Taeyong’s tone was slightly bitter and Jisung raised an eyebrow before shrugging. He and Taeyong weren’t  _ exactly _ alike, but he figures that they tend to react to things the same way, so that’s support enough.

When they convene in their favorite diner in town, Jisung thinks that nothing changed. Except, everything changed, really. Chenle excitedly recounts all his antics from the first semester as Jisung fixedly sips at his milkshake, breathing heavily through his nose. At one point, they realize he’s deep in thought as Jaemin jabs Jeno in the side, gesturing to Jisung. Renjun clears his throat, loudly, and Jisung startles, jumping from his seat at the sound.

“Do you have any funny stories from your first semester of college, Jisung?” Mark’s eyes are always kind and always wide - Jisung thinks that perhaps he sees  _ too _ much with his bright eyes.

He allows himself to think for a moment before nodding no. “The dance team is nice, though. And I’m enjoying my classes. I really think I’m going to like computer science. But, I didn’t really do anything other than dance and assignments. My roommate is really nice, though. Samuel. He’s on the dance, team, too. He’s Pre-Law. And speaks like  _ three _ languages.”

“... Did you make any friends other than your roommate and the dance team members?” asks Jaemin worriedly. “We didn’t get to talk much throughout the semester…”

“Uh, yeah. Uh... This guy named Guan Lin - he’s super nice. He and I had intro to comp sci together. Uh, and Yeonjae and Jeongseong.” Jisung pauses, staring at the bead of condensation that rolls down the side of his glass.  _ Friends _ is a loose term, but they all messaged one another occasionally, and Guan Lin  _ had _ wished him a Merry Christmas. “I’m… trying.”

“Of course you are! You’re Jisung Park! Your best is better than all the rest,” says Chenle with a bright grin.

For a moment, Jisung regretted going to a different university from Chenle and the others. He had always struggled making new friends and branching out and, growing up, his saving grace was Chenle. Loud and rambunctious and extroverted and excited. Jisung was his exact opposite and sometimes that worried him. But, when he thinks of how much he’s grown and learned and experienced the past few months, he thinks that  _ maybe _ a little push was all he needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm not sure if anyone actually read any of these ^^' this was more a challenge for myself - to write something every day for 25 days. i think it was good that i did this. it was fun, writing just small little blurbs without thinking about much.  
> but, that's that. 25 days of nct!


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